Thursday 3 July 2014

A lesson from the Ayat of Ramadan


There are many ways to contemplate the verses of the Quran. One of them is to find a link between the various Ayat as they come one after the other while the subject matter seems to change.
Some commentators of the Quran have ignored this aspect of finding a linkage between the Ayat. There are others who have devoted books on the subject of the order of the Quranic Ayat, such as As Suyuti, Biqa’i and others.
I incline towards this second methodology. Here is an example of a link between the Ayat about fasting in Surah Baqara 103-187 and the verses preceding and following them.

The three verses preceding the Ayat of fasting speak about inheritance bequests, the rulings, the importance of writing a will, and whether it can be amended or not if the testator has shown unjust favour to someone or tried to deprive someone from his share.  The verses say:

Prescribed for you when death approaches [any] one of you if he leaves wealth [is that he should make] a bequest for the parents and near relatives according to what is acceptable - a duty upon the righteous.
Then whoever alters the bequest after he has heard it - the sin is only upon those who have altered it. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
But if one fears from the bequeather [some] error or sin and corrects that which is between them, there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 
[Quran 2:180-182]

These three Ayat are followed by 5 Ayat of Fasting beginning with Ayah 183:

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous
[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.
It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah , so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.
[Quran 2:183-187]

This passage on fasting is followed by an Ayah which speaks about the evil act of consuming someone’s property or wealth through bribing judges or in any other false manner.
It says:
And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful].
[Quran 2:188]

So here comes the question: why are the Ayat of fasting surrounded by a mention of two malpractices which lead one to acquire someone’s money immorally?

The linkage between these Ayat is the following saying of the Prophet (SAW):
The person who does not abandon lies or acting upon them, Allah is in no need to ask him to leave his food or drink.”
So fasting is prescribed to develop “Taqwa” (to beware of the bad consequences of our deeds) i.e. to stop evil deeds and embark upon good ones.
A person may have been fasting throughout his life but all his fasting is wasted because his last action before death was to leave a bequest in which either he has shown favour to someone who does not deserve it or has deprived someone a share which he deserved to receive.  Similarly, during his life he may have acquired other people’s property or wealth through bribery and wrong means. Such people, even if they fast, will not reap the fruits of fasting.

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